Producer and beatmaker Don Leisure (aka Aly Jamal) was announced as the winner of the 2025 Welsh Music Prize at a ceremony in his hometown of Cardiff earlier this evening, taking home the trophy for his album Tyrchu Sain, released this past February. 

Created using samples from the extensive archives of Welsh label Sain Records, the album features guest appearances from various Welsh music legends including Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Carwyn Ellis (Colorama), and Sain Records co-founder Dafydd Iwan. 

Listen below:

Speaking backstage after his win, Jamal said he was “absolutely overwhelmed” and “in shock” by his win, and that he plans to use the prize money to “self-fund a few releases” and replace his ailing computer. 

Inaugurated in 2011, the WMP is an annual celebration of the year’s best albums by Welsh (or at least half Welsh) artists and bands, whittled down to a shortlist of 15 ahead of the ceremony. This year’s other shortlisted acts were previous winners Adwaith, Gwenno, Kelly Lee Owens, and The Gentle Good, previous nominees Breichiau Hir, Cerys Hafana, Keys, and Melin Melyn, and first-timers Buddug, Panic Shack, Sage Todz, Siula, Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn, and The Tubs.

Alongside performances from Gwenno, Melin Melyn, Panic Shack, and Sage Todz, the celebrations at the Wales Millennium Centre also featured this year’s three recipients of the emerging artist-supporting Triskel Award: Morn, Nancy Williams, and Source. Since being introduced in 2019, the Triskel Award has provided financial and career support for 21 different acts – including Melin Melyn and Sage Todz – in association with the charity Help Musicians. PPL Momentum Music Fund awardees Taff Rapids also performed.

This year’s Welsh Music Inspiration Award was presented to Cardiff-born bassist, songwriter, and producer Pino Palladino – father of Fabiana Palladino and contributor to albums by everyone from Elton John and Chaka Khan to Beyoncé, Adele, and Miley Cyrus.

“It was such an honor to have Pino play on my last record. He’s on all of the songs, including one that’s 13 minutes…,” Cyrus said in a message shared to Instagram. “Working with you Pino is a dream, it’s always the best.”